NO charges have been laid following an incident on Sunday afternoon that left a three-year-old Oberon boy with critical injuries and a family home being declared a crime scene.
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Police say a three-year-old, who was left unconscious and critically injured, may have been knocked over by his family’s dogs, and are seeking further witnesses to the incident.
The boy, along with his mother and stepfather, were walking in the park known as the soccer fields on Cunynghame Street at 1pm on Sunday when the incident occurred.
Chifley local area command crime manager Detective Inspector Luke Rankin said yesterday police were told the boy had been “knocked down and struck his head” after he became tangled in the leads of the two family dogs.
“The dogs [an alsatian and a husky] were on a lead and they got loose and in some way the leads have tripped the child over,” Detective Inspector said of the mother’s report to police.
“The child had been rendered unconscious and rushed home from where emergency services were called.”
A crime scene was established at the family home, with forensic police officers called in to examine the inside and outside of the home, along with an area in the park.
Police yesterday removed a number of items from the family property including several boxes of ammunition.
Detective Inspector Rankin confirmed there was licensed firearm holder at the address, but despite the removal of at least six boxes of ammunition, he said it was “not a focus at this stage”.
“We’ve been working to establish what’s actually happened,” Detective Inspector Rankin said.
“Our prominent line of inquiry is we are trying to establish if the child has injuries consistent with what the parents have told us.”
Following the incident the child was treated by Oberon paramedics and police before being airlifted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead where he remains.
“The child was injured very severely to be rendered unconscious,” Detective Inspector Rankin said. “He was in a critical condition which stabilised somewhat in the morning [yesterday].”
While the family was not known to police for any “similar incidents”, Detective Inspector Rankin said detectives have been liaising a “great deal” with the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS) since the incident.
Police have already spoken to a number of witnesses.
“Some witnesses have been very useful and provided valuable information,” Detective Inspector Rankin said.
Police are still seeking further witnesses. Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation contact Oberon police on 6336 1000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.